On Tuesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that India should help all countries in their fight against coronavirus, but lifesaving medicines should be made available to Indians first.
Taking to Twitter, Rahul Gandhi wrote: "Friendship isn't about retaliation. India must help all nations in their hour of need but lifesaving medicines should be made available to Indians in ample quantities first."
The Congress leader's reaction came after the Ministry of External Affairs said that India would to export anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine to several countries including those in the neighbourhood on a case-by-case basis in sync with its commitment to the international community to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
The Ministry of External Affairs move came after US President Donald Trump asked the Indian government to supply the United States with hydroxychloroquine, a drug approved by many nations to treat the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. Hydroxychloroquine is an old and inexpensive drug used to treat malaria.
Last month, India banned export of hydroxychloroquine in the midst of views that the drug could be used as potential anti-viral agent to protect healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients from the infection.
(Inputs from Agencies)
